Folding bed



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

J. G. QWINSHIP.

FOLDING BED.-

No. 555,415. Patented P55. 25, 1896.

AN DREW EGNMMVL PHOTO-UTHQWASMNGION. D C,

(No Model. 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. G WINSHIP.

I FOLDING BED.

N0. 555,415 Patented Feb. 25, 1896."

UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFIcE.

JESSE G. IVINSHIP, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

FOLDING BED.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 555,415, dated February25, 1896.

Application filed July 2, 1895. $erial No. 554,765. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J ESSE G. WINSHIP, of the city of St. Louis, in theState of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inFolding Beds, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a means, by use of ac0il-spring, by which a power to counterbalance the weight of the bed isused to raise or fold the bed, the said weight beingitself used to windup the spring.

Figure I represents a front view of the bed with the body raised, aportion thereof being cut away to show my improvement. Fig. IIrepresents a side view of the same. Fig. III represents a side view,part in section, of the spring and cone attachment. Fig. IV represents atop view of the same. Fig. V represents the same View as shown in Fig.IV, excepting that the spring-box and cone are removed to show theratchet-and-pawl device used for regulating the tension of the spring.

The same numbers indicate the same parts throughout the several figures.

1 is the body of the bed, adapted to be placed in either a vertical or ahorizontal position and hung on the pivot 2.

3 is the back or head piece.

1 is the bottom.

5 is a frame of suitable construction secured, as shown, to the base ofthe stationaryportion of the bed. It has a-pin 6 placed as shown, whichis adapted to loosely carry the casing 7 and cone 9. This casing 7incloses a coil-spring 8, and said spring is rigidly secured at itsinner end 18 to the base of the cone 9 and at its outer end 19 to thecasing 7.

The cone 9 is provided with a continuous groove in which is wound therope 10 as the spring turns the cone. One end of this rope is secured tothe apex of this cone. It is then passed through pulley 11, secured tothe head-piece 3, then through the pulley 12, secured to the base, asshown, and then fastened to the body at 13. The cone 9 is placed apexupward, so that when the bed is folded, Fig. II, the rope will windabout the base,

and as it is opened and less strength is needed it will unwind to theapex.

The casing 7 is provided at its base with a ratchet 14, and 15 is a pawlto engage the same. This pawl 15 is held in place by a spring 16. 17 isa handle to enable one to disengage the pawl 15 from the ratchet 14..The purpose of this is to enable one to tighten the spring whennecessary, or to place the spring at the proper tension tocounterbalance the weight of the bed.

The operation of the device is as follows: The bed being folded, asshown in Fig. II, the spring 8 is expanded and the cord 10 is wound tothe base of the cone 9. To open the bed, the body 1 is lowered by thehand into a horizontal position. This draws the cord 10 from around thecone 9, thereby turning all that part of the device which revolves aboutthe pin 6. The inner end of the spring 8, however, is secured at 18.Hence this unwinding of the cord 10 winds up the spring 8. The powerthus obtained is then utilized when the bed is to be again raised to avertical position, said power counterbalancing the weight of thebed-body.

My invention provides a very simple and effective means of operating afolding bed, and is compact in form, not likely to get out of order, andinexpensive to manufacture. It does the work thoroughly and is much moresatisfactory than the old system of weights.

I'Iaving fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A folding bed comprising a frame, a pin secured to the frame,a casinghaving a ratchet and loosely mounted on the pin, a pawl pivoted to theframe, and engaging the ratchet, the spirally-grooved cone, looselymounted on the pin, and seated in the casing, the helical spring locatedwithin the casing, having its inner end secured to the base of the coneand its outer end secured to the casing, and means for connecting thecone with the body; substantially as described.

2. Afolding bed comprising a pivoted body, a front pulley, a backpulley, a frame, a pin secured to the frame, a casing having a ratchet,and loosely mounted 011 the pin, a the apex of the cone through the backpulley, pawl pivoted to the frame, and engaging the through the frontpulley, and connected with IO ratchet the spirallygrooved cone looselythe body; substantially as described.

mounted 011 the pin, and seated in the casing,

the helical spring located within the casing, J. G. WVINSI'IIP. havingits inner end secured to the base of In presence of the cone and itsouter end secured to the cas- E. S. KNIGHT,

ing" and the connecting-rope extending from STANLEY STOVER.

